dgpcolorado wrote:I just Supercharge enough to make the next charge stop, plus a 10% to 20% buffer, and don't worry about it. The nav system makes it so easy to know how much charge is needed that I stopped keeping records of trip legs more than a year ago. Nav even tells me how much charge I should have left at each charge stop and how long I will need to Supercharge at each stop. It also tells me in real time how much charge I will have left at the next charge stop so I can adjust my speed, if necessary, in case I hit headwinds or something like that.

dgpcolorado wrote:A complicating factory for me is that most trips away from home involve driving to lower altitude, which lowers the tire pressure.

Huh. Do you know why ?

The air pressure in the tire is relative to atmospheric pressure. As the atmospheric pressure increases with lower altitude the relative pressure in the tire decreases. It is the same phenomenon that makes a balloon expand as you increase in altitude and shrink as you decrease altitude (or chip bags explode as you bring them from sea level to the mountains — happened to me at 7000 feet in Utah coming from Oregon).

A further complicating factor is that temperature is generally higher at lower altitude which offsets some of the altitude related tire pressure decrease, so I never know quite what to do when setting out on a trip save for checking the tires cold at the low altitude destination.

dgpcolorado wrote:A complicating factory for me is that most trips away from home involve driving to lower altitude, which lowers the tire pressure.

Huh. Do you know why ?

The air pressure in the tire is relative to atmospheric pressure. As the atmospheric pressure increases with lower altitude the relative pressure in the tire decreases. It is the same phenomenon that makes a balloon expand as you increase in altitude and shrink as you decrease altitude (or chip bags explode as you bring them from sea level to the mountains — happened to me at 7000 feet in Utah coming from Oregon).

A further complicating factor is that temperature is generally higher at lower altitude which offsets some of the altitude related tire pressure decrease, so I never know quite what to do when setting out on a trip save for checking the tires cold at the low altitude destination.

Hadn't even thought about it, but sure, as long as there's already someone to service them.

. . . One of the owners shared that the Springfield, MO station provides free coffee. According to Electrek, owners have also requested compressors to fill up their tires. Of course, this is also common at many gas stations. CEO Musk recently Tweeted that the air pumps will be added at Supercharger stations as well.

The latter is a nice to have but seems unnecessary for SCs on road trip corridors, but then I always carry a hand pump with me along with a spare etc. on them, and often a squeegee. For in town charging sites, definitely.

The thing I don't get about air pumps at gas stations, or Supercharger stations, is that we are supposed to adjust tire pressure when they are cold. I would never adjust tire pressures on a trip when they are hot, unless one tire is clearly low compared to the others. I carry my own pump and gauge and sometimes check the tires in the morning before setting out for the day. A complicating factor for me is that most trips away from home involve driving to lower altitude, which lowers the tire pressure.

Same here. I check and adjust tires in the driveway before leaving on a trip, although I've got a station only a block from me that wouldn't cause any significant heating by driving to it when cold; to me it's more convenient (if more work) to use my hand pump. I also may check/adjust them before driving each day during the trip if I think it's necessary, but it rarely is unless I've got a slow leak (haven't had one in years - knock plastic) and don't want to put the spare on. Unlike you I'm always starting from sea level, so needing to increase pressure following a descent isn't a factor, and the highest I've driven a car is maybe 12.5k (allowing for density altitude in summer, maybe 15k). I can't remember if I ever reduced pressure for such an altitude just to be on the safe side and then re-inflated when lower, but as my most common driving high points in California are no more than 10k and that on mountain two lane that precludes interstate speeds (Tioga Pass 9,941; Saddlebag Lake 10k even; Sonora Pass 9,624, with a max. density altitude of say 13k), I don't think I've felt any need to do so for at least a quarter century. For Trail Ridge maybe, but the Eisenhower Tunnel on a hot day when traffic is free-flowing seems most likely, if I hadn't adjusted since leaving home.

Guy [I have lots of experience designing/selling off-grid AE systems, some using EVs but don't own one. Local trips are by foot, bike and/or rapid transit].

The 'best' is the enemy of 'good enough'.Copper shot, not Silver bullets.

I didn't really pay attention to it. The total day's trip was 460 miles at 250 Wh/mile, nearly all of it mountain driving, except for Boulder to Loveland, and much of it at 60 to 70 mph, where possible. All of the trip was at moderately high altitude (Loveland, 5000 feet, being the low point) to high altitude (Trail Ridge Road, 12,000+ feet), which means considerably reduced drag versus sea level.

I just Supercharge enough to make the next charge stop, plus a 10% to 20% buffer, and don't worry about it. The nav system makes it so easy to know how much charge is needed that I stopped keeping records of trip legs more than a year ago. Nav even tells me how much charge I should have left at each charge stop and how long I will need to Supercharge at each stop. It also tells me in real time how much charge I will have left at the next charge stop so I can adjust my speed, if necessary, in case I hit headwinds or something like that.

Sounds like they finally got the nav system working right. Early on I remember there were tons of complaints about it on TMC, and people were using EVtriplanner or one of the other homebrew sites rather than trust it. ISTR routing as well as energy calc were issues.

Guy [I have lots of experience designing/selling off-grid AE systems, some using EVs but don't own one. Local trips are by foot, bike and/or rapid transit].

The 'best' is the enemy of 'good enough'.Copper shot, not Silver bullets.

I didn't really pay attention to it. The total day's trip was 460 miles at 250 Wh/mile, nearly all of it mountain driving, except for Boulder to Loveland, and much of it at 60 to 70 mph, where possible. All of the trip was at moderately high altitude (Loveland, 5000 feet, being the low point) to high altitude (Trail Ridge Road, 12,000+ feet), which means considerably reduced drag versus sea level.

I just Supercharge enough to make the next charge stop, plus a 10% to 20% buffer, and don't worry about it. The nav system makes it so easy to know how much charge is needed that I stopped keeping records of trip legs more than a year ago. Nav even tells me how much charge I should have left at each charge stop and how long I will need to Supercharge at each stop. It also tells me in real time how much charge I will have left at the next charge stop so I can adjust my speed, if necessary, in case I hit headwinds or something like that.

Sounds like they finally got the nav system working right. Early on I remember there were tons of complaints about it on TMC, and people were using EVtriplanner or one of the other homebrew sites rather than trust it. ISTR routing as well as energy calc were issues.

I really like the new driver's information center (DIC) navigation display. The below article touches on it and the video was excellent showing side by side of highway driving. It is really nice in suburban driving as the solid background rectangular street name bubbles are handy ... but it also shows (at the right count and level) transparent background rectangular street name bubbles as you are approaching so you can get a feel but glancing at street signs where you are at. Just a nice reinforcement. It seems very smooth and clear on the level of google and waze on your phone IMO.

GRA wrote:Sounds like they finally got the nav system working right. Early on I remember there were tons of complaints about it on TMC, and people were using EVtriplanner or one of the other homebrew sites rather than trust it. ISTR routing as well as energy calc were issues.

Yes, the new navigation/energy algorithm, pushed out OTA in April, is terrific. It handles high speed highways really well now.

Occasional quirks about routing and you can't force it to an alternate route except by just driving it (adapts instantly to route changes or missed turns). Also doesn't have a waypoint feature, a longtime complaint. The best part is the energy use projection — and real time updating — is much more accurate now. With voice navigation, all you do is state your destination and let the car take you to each Supercharger Station as needed. Also does a really good job at projecting the ETA, charge level, and time charging at each stop and the destination, even when driving most of the day.

Gaylord, MI opened Thursday. This is the first SC to expand coverage, as opposed to infill for density/capacity, since Estes Park. At the moment, out of the 33 SCs known to be under construction at supercharge.info, only Leavenworth, WA expands coverage. Things look better as far as those permitted, but permitted can mean very little (Ft. Stockton now at 569 days and counting). As it is, Gaylord was noted under construction on Oct. 1st and may have begun a week earlier, and I think this is probably the longest construction time to date, up to 9 months.

Guy [I have lots of experience designing/selling off-grid AE systems, some using EVs but don't own one. Local trips are by foot, bike and/or rapid transit].

The 'best' is the enemy of 'good enough'.Copper shot, not Silver bullets.

GRA wrote:Gaylord, MI opened Thursday. This is the first SC to expand coverage, as opposed to infill for density/capacity, since Estes Park. At the moment, out of the 33 SCs known to be under construction at supercharge.info, only Leavenworth, WA expands coverage. Things look better as far as those permitted, but permitted can mean very little (Ft. Stockton now at 569 days and counting). As it is, Gaylord was noted under construction on Oct. 1st and may have begun a week earlier, and I think this is probably the longest construction time to date, up to 9 months.

I plan on using the Gaylord one in the near future. It will be nice to get a MI UP one done to make that around-the-lake tour simple. There are hotels, marina, and plenty of campgrounds with 14-50s to so I'll make due. I'm not use to having to plan my charges as I usually just go and let the car route me through the Supercharger 'railroad'. It has been simple. The CCS travelers will have to do a lot of planning for a while I think.